I was anxious to go home so I caught the bus passing through
Tanauan because it was the first to get out of the station. But because it was not passing through the
STAR Tollway, the trip was expectedly longer and slower. It was a good thing that the Apocalypto kept
the ride tolerable. Otherwise, it was
supposed to be a routine bus ride home.
That is until the word of God came.
Upon reaching Tanauan a young lady boarded the bus, and instead
of finding a vacant seat she occupied the middle aisle and propped one side of
her body on the upright of the seat on the third row. I was on the fifth row.
She pulled out a bible and began praying for the safety of everyone
on board. Jaguar Paw, the movie’s lead
character, has just escaped from a sure beheading and his Mayan captors were
mighty pissed off, and I was wondering if the lady was also praying for Jaguar
Paw’s safety. I have watched this movie
before but the blood and gore that come in plenty never cease to pique my
interest.
She must have noticed that I tilted my head to the right so
I can catch a better view of the movie, which she was already blocking because
after reading a passage from the bible that said how lucky we were that the
Lord has spoken, she began a rant that it seemed that we were more interested
in entertainment than in listening to the word of God.
I didn’t know if I should feel guilty for cheering for Jaguar
Paw after he escaped his pursuers by jumping over a raging waterfall, or feel
offended because I am being accused of turning a deaf ear to a sermon that I
did not ask for.
Then the lady turned her attention to the guy next to me who, aside from watching the movie, also had his earphones on. The preacher said, “Ang ilan dyan mas
pipiliin pang makinig ng musika kesa sa salita ng Diyos!”
When I noticed the guy’s brow move I knew he was
multi-tasking – watching Jaguar Paw throw a swarm of venomous bees towards his
predators, listening to his music, and getting irked by the verbal jab thrown
at him.
Then the lady began recalling the many instances when she
experienced people mouthing insults at her willingness to spread God’s gospel
in exchange for a small sum for their sect’s missions. As she was sharing this, I can sense the hurt
in her voice that I half expected that she would break down into tears. It was good that I didn’t have to follow any
dialogues as the grunts of the bad guys as they took in poison darts told me
all I needed to know about what’s happening in the movie, so I can still devote
two sympathetic ears to the lady preacher.
Then she segued way to how in the time of Noah, God punished
mankind for not listening to his warnings.
Now I don’t want to be punished like that, not when Jaguar Paw just took
an arrow to his sternum.
I know God will not take it against me for paying attention
to a movie that fully displays the fight or flight instincts of man. So here’s a desperate man fleeing the hell
out of his feet and fighting his heart out when cornered. It is primal survival at its finest. And it’s not even killing for killing’s sake
because he also wants to rescue and protect his young family.
Then the lady preacher began distributing donation envelopes. I didn’t know why I had to get it when I had
no intention of putting something in it, but I did.
She left after collecting all her envelopes. And soon the movie was also over. To be followed by the demise of the great Inca
and Mayan civilizations as the white people have come to shore, bringing with
them the word of God and ravenous rats from the old world -- hosts of the bubonic plague virus that would
end the lives of millions of Incas and Mayas.
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